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Coronary Progenitor Cells and Soluble Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Prognosis after Coronary Angioplasty
Published on: January 28, 2020
Circulating osteogenic endothelial progenitor cell counts: new biomarker for the severity of coronary artery disease
Shi-Wei Yang1, Rebecca R Hennessy2, Sundeep Khosla3
1Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic and College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; 12(th) Ward, Department of Cardiology, Beijing An Zhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100029, China; Atherosclerosis Research Center, Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Disease, Beijing 100029, China; The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Disease, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100029, China.
Insights
Early circulating endothelial progenitor cell (CEPC) counts, specifically osteocalcin-positive (OCN+) CEPCs, are linked to coronary artery disease (CAD) severity. Higher OCN+ CEPC levels may also indicate an increased risk of all-cause mortality.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Endothelial Progenitor Cells
- Bone Metabolism
Background:
- Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CEPCs) with osteogenic potential (OCN+) may link vascular calcification and bone metabolism.
- The phenotype CD34-/CD133+/KDR+ represents early, active CEPCs with osteogenic capacity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate early osteocalcin-positive (OCN+) circulating endothelial progenitor cell (CEPC) counts as a biomarker for coronary artery disease (CAD) severity.
- To investigate the association between OCN+ CEPC counts and the risk of all-cause mortality.
Main Methods:
- Peripheral blood samples were collected from 593 patients undergoing coronary angiography.
- Coronary artery stenosis (CAS) severity was assessed, and patients were followed for all-cause death for a median of 40 months.
Main Results:
- OCN+ early CEPC counts were independently associated with the presence and severity of significant coronary artery stenosis (CAS).
- A higher decile of OCN+ early CEPC counts showed a trend towards an increased risk of all-cause mortality (p=0.047).
Conclusions:
- OCN+ early CEPC counts are independently correlated with CAD severity.
- Elevated OCN+ early CEPC counts may be linked to an increased risk of all-cause mortality.
Background:
There is increasing evidence implying that the early and functionally highly active circulating endothelial progenitor cell (CEPC) phenotype (CD34-/CD133+/KDR+) with osteogenic potential (OCN+) might link between vascular atherosclerotic calcification and mechanisms of bone metabolism. We sought to evaluate the early OCN+ CEPC counts as an independent biomarker for the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods:
Peripheral blood samples were drawn from 593 patients undergoing clinically indicated coronary angiography. CAD severity was assessed by the presence of significant coronary artery stenosis (CAS) as well as an ordinal categorical variable. Subjects were followed for all-cause death over a median follow-up of 40months.
Results:
OCN+ early CEPC counts (square-root transformed) were independently associated with the presence of significant CAS [odds ratio (OR) per standard deviation (SD) increment: 1.389, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.131 to 1.707, p=0.002). Similar association was observed with an increase in levels of CAS (OR: 1.353, 95% CI: 1.157 to 1.582, p<0.001). There was a weak tendency between OCN+ early CEPC counts and all-cause mortality (p=0.090), whereas the highest decile of OCN+ early CEPC counts had a 2.991-fold increased risk of all-cause death (p=0.047).
Conclusions:
We demonstrate for the first time an independent, significant, and strong correlation between OCN+ early CEPC counts and CAD severity. Additionally, very high numbers of OCN+ early CEPC tend to be linked to the risk of all-cause mortality.
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